HARRISBURG—Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced today that Martino Motors and Donald J. Martino, Jr. of Allegheny County were found to be in violation of an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC) they previously entered into in 2014.
“Martino Motors agreed to play by the rules,” said AG Shapiro. “The ones that every dealership in Pennsylvania have to abide by. But when demand went up, Martino Motors hit reverse and returned to their predatory ways in order to make a quick buck at the expense of hard working Pennsylvanians. Because of this, Martino Motors and Donald J. Martino, Jr. will never sell a car again in Pennsylvania, and both the company and its owner have been permanently barred from the business.”
Martino Motors advertisements for vehicles often didn’t align with their vehicles’ physical condition. Consumers who purchased cars from Martino Motors found that the cars didn’t stay operable for long and that serious problems quickly made themselves known. One consumer had her brakes fail while she was driving the car. Another consumer found that, in their car, duct tape and paint had been used to hide rust and physical damage.
The Court found that Mr. Martino and Martino Motors violated the AVC in multiple ways and as such, are permanently banned from selling cars in Pennsylvania.
Consumers who believe they may have purchased a car that isn’t roadworthy should file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by visiting OAG’s website, emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov, or calling 1-800-441-2555.
This case was litigated by Deputy Attorney General Kevin Green.
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